In for a Surprise
by Acherubis
Summary: Shuffle your ipod and see what you get.


**In for a Surprise  
**

**Author's Note: **I've never done an ipod-shuffle-challenge before and I don't know if there is any out there right now but I was curious if I can could pull off such a thing. I also don't know if there are any more rules to it so I just wrote out what came to my mind which means I don't necessarily stay a hundred percent true to the lyrics (if there are any, my ipod handed me three instrumental pieces. Ok, two and a half, Mage Pride does only count because I don't understand a word it says). I also imposed a word-limit on myself. At least 100 and at most 500 words. My ipod presented me with a hilarious selection, so yes, it was a challenge in the truest sense of the word. It was quite the ride and now it's up to you to decide how I've done. Hope you enjoy.

**Disclaimer: **Nothing's mine. The game belongs to Bioware, the fabulous songs belong to the artists and their producers.

**Song: I've Gotta Find You – Lonestar  
****Scene: Alistair is trying to work up the courage to give **_**the rose**_** to his warden. **(402 words)

_"I've got this dream, it won't go away, when I close my eyes, you're there night and day, baby, whatever it takes, I've gotta find you."_

He stares at the rose in his hands, spinning it around and around between his fingers. He is scared. He wants her to have that rose but he has no clue of what to say when he presents it to her. Oh sure, there are a million ideas running around his mind. That he's thinking of her all the time. That he never felt like this with anyone ever before. That he has been looking for someone special all his life and finally found that person in her.

All of it sounds good in his head and more than once he braced himself and went to tell her how he felt but every time when he sees her, his courage is blown away again like dry leaves in a storm. Suddenly he can't remember those carefully laid out words anymore and the fear of looking like a fool makes him falter.

His own cowardice makes him grimace. How can a grown man be this scared of something that should be so simple? It's not as if he does not know that she harbors similar feelings, now is it? There is that smile that makes him feel like he is ten feet tall, the one she saves just for him. There is that absolutely charming blush when he compliments her or when they accidentally touch. There is _definitely something_ between them so why can't he just go and give her that blighted rose?

A soft laugh pulls him out of his reverie and he looks up. Their eyes meet over the flickering campfire and the far space between them. She smiles that smile and his heart skips a beat and before he can really think about what he's doing he is on his feet, closing the gap. Her eyes hold his until he is close, never wavering.

"I… uhm… can I… talk to you for a sec… in private?"

Smooth, Alistair, very smooth.

But she does not laugh. Her smile remains the same and she stands from the log she is sitting on.

"Sure."

He watches as she turns away from the fire, making her way over to a small group of trees a little off the camp. He feels the familiar fear again and takes a deep breath. He's come this far, he can go all the way now. Squaring his shoulders, he follows her, the rose safely cradled in his palm.

###

**Song: Holes – Rascal Flatts  
****Scene: The warden commander is broken after Anders' death. **(475 words)

_"Holes, in and around me, I keep falling back into. Holes, dig in and surround me, god knows what I'm gonna do to fill in these holes left by you."_

She stares at the ceiling above, has done so for hours. Merciful numbness has settled into her body and mind after endless fits of crying and screaming and crying some more. She is too exhausted now to cry, too exhausted to sleep, to eat, to move, to do anything but blankly stare into eternity.

Nathaniel comes by every now and then to check on her. The expression in his eyes is worried and sad and pitying. He tries to coax her into eating something, drinking something but she ignores him every time. She can't stand to look at him, to acknowledge the worry and the sadness and the pity because if she does she knows she will start thinking again and when she starts thinking again the pain will come back. So she just keeps staring at the ceiling and eventually he heaves a sigh and leaves her alone again.

Flashes of memories appear and disappear behind her unseeing eyes. Like random words she picks up on the street in passing; senseless, disconnected, unimportant. Just as she does not dare to acknowledge Nathaniel's patient care she does not dare to let the memories affect her. Those memories will break her faster than anything and she can't afford to break. He wouldn't want that. He has always told her that she's strong. He believed that she could master everything.

A broken whimper penetrates her ears and she ignores it like she ignores everything else. She has to be strong.

Something soft and furry touches her hand and she ignores it. She can't disappoint him.

A warm weight settles on her chest and something rough and wet passes over her jaw and finally, she can't ignore it any longer. A whimper again, desperate and full of pain, and she realizes the sound comes from her own throat this time.

He was wrong. She can't do it. She can't be strong. It hurts too much.

Her arms wrap around the cat on her chest and she holds it as tight as she dares. Hot tears spring to her eyes again. She turns onto her side, curling into a ball without letting go of the only thing that is left of him. Pounce rubs his head against her chin. She knows the cat feels that its master will not come back and it comes to her to seek comfort, to not be alone.

She buries her head in the red fur and lets the tears come. There is a vast emptiness in her heart that can never be filled and so she tries to create an ocean with her tears that will flood the emptiness and hide it from view. Maybe if she can't see it anymore she will forget that it is there and at least pretend that she is as strong as he thought her to be.

###

**Song: Saturday Night – Lonestar  
****Scene: The warden commander and her men are enjoying a fun night at the pub in Amaranthine. **(433 words)

_"Monday, Tuesday, Humpday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday take up all of my life. I'll get my rest on Sunday but I'll have a little fun on Saturday Night."_

The _Crown & Lion_ is packed, music blaring loud and lively. There is not one free chair anywhere to be found in the whole tavern. The innkeeper is beaming and laughs heartily when one of the men grabs his bald head and places a smacking kiss right onto his shiny forehead. He has every reason to laugh because tonight, his guests are the wardens from Vigil's Keep and that means the ale flows like water and the rooms are all rented. He likes that bunch of jolly men and women. They party wild and hard but never once do they get obnoxious or violent. They would never dare to embarrass the scrawny brunette, currently dancing a fast saltarello with one of her comrades, who is their Commander.

There is a round of jeers and catcalls when her dance partner loses his footing, stumbling into the circle of spectators and he hears the Commander's breathless voice ordering another round on the beaten fellows tab. She has barely given the order when another man takes the place of the unfortunate fellow she has just beaten and challenges her to another round. Her face is flush and she's breathing heavily but he has never seen her turn down a challenge before. He is quite sure that tonight will not be the first night that it happens and he's right.

As he's filling a new round of mugs, he watches the events on the dance-floor because he knows this one is cheating and he doesn't want to miss a moment, knowing that the Commander will have none of that. It doesn't take long before the blonde moves in on her, hindering her moves by grabbing her by her hips and invading her space and just as he thought, she gets back at him and she does it in a way that has the whole tavern up on their feet and cheering her on. The dance long since ceased to resemble any dance he knows but the way she moves is a sight to behold for every male in the room. Hips circling, hands on her opponents chest, eyes holding his gaze, it does not fail it's purpose for this one falls victim to her just as easily as the last one has.

With a victorious shout, the Commander raises her fist up in the air and her challenger accepts her win with an elegant bow. He can't help another hearty laugh. For the poor guy that means a serious cut in this month's pay and for him… well, for him it means that the coins keep coming.

###

**Song: This Means War – Nickelback  
****Scene: Anders versus Hawke in the last battle of Kirkwall. **(178 words)

_"You've gone too far, who do you think you are, is this what you came for, well this means war."_

It is chaos. Brutal, bloody, absolute chaos. He's swinging his sword without really looking where it hits. There are so many, rushing at him, flinging spells his way, attacking with fire and ice and the brunt force of their staffs. No time to think. No time to feel. No time to talk anymore.

And among all that chaos, there suddenly is a gap in the crowd of fighting people. For a moment, everything happens in slow motion as his eyes settle on his enemy. Anders is standing right in front of him, staff raised, raven feathers on his coat billowing in the wind like they are part of the wings of an avenging angel.

They look at each other, frozen. Two friends, broken apart by an unspeakable act of violence. No compromise. Not anymore. They both know that. There is no way around this.

He raises his sword at the same time as Anders' hands begin to glow with the first traces of an ice-spell. He knows it ends here, one way or the other and he charges.

###

**Song: And Still – Reba McEntire  
****Scene: After six years, the warden commander sees Anders again for the first time. **(296 words)

_"And still, the world stood still, I couldn't move and all I could feel was this aching in my heart, saying I loved him still."_

She thought she was prepared. The letter saying he's still alive arrived three weeks ago. Enough time to work her feelings out; the betrayal, the humiliation, the hurt and she sailed to Kirkwall with nothing but hate in her heart. They say the void knows no wrath greater than that of a woman scorned and she believed it was true. The only purpose of this journey was to find him and kill him. She thought she was prepared.

Now she's standing in front of him. Gray-blue eyes meet amber ones for the first time in six years and she finds that she's not prepared at all. She's not prepared for the regret and the shame in his eyes. She's not prepared for the tears that suddenly strangle her throat or for the relief she feels at seeing him alive. The bitterness, the fury, still lurk somewhere in her heart but they are not the driving force anymore.

Her hand around the hilt of her sword trembles uncontrollably. She tries to draw the blade but she can't. All she wants to do is hold him tight and never let him go again. She thought she hated him but she never did. She loves him with all her heart no matter how hard she tries not to. Pretending not to love him only makes it worse.

He steps forward and reluctantly raises a hand to her cheek but before he touches her he lowers it again.

"It's good to see you," he says softly. A shaky laugh escapes her throat. He has no idea how very true his words are and she knows she will never tell him because she knows no matter how much she still loves him, she will never be able to trust him again.

###

**Song: Ar Var Alda – Wardruna (Instrumental)  
****Scene: The wardens prepare for the battle for the Vigil. **(206 words)

Silence. It encompasses the whole fortress. Nobody dares to speak. The only sound is the rain pouring down on the men's armor as they take post on the battlements.

Fear. It is everywhere. You can smell it. It is in the eyes of the soldier, in the faces of the mothers hiding their children inside.

Agitation. Its smell mingles with the smell of fear. Hands flex around sword handles, bows are drawn.

Readiness. They will fight to the last. No surrender. No retreat.

Determination. The Vigil will not fall. They will no fail.

War cries in the distance. The enemy is near. The battle is about to begin.

Someone thumps his sword against his breastplate.

Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.

A steady rhythm, loud and clear.

The soldier besides him picks up the move.

Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.

The next man joins in. And the next. And the next.

The noise becomes deafening. The battlements vibrate with the challenge. Look at us! Fear us! Come if you dare!

A horn bellows from the top of the watchtower. They are here! Get ready! Send them to the void!

The Commander raises her sword. It is time.

And as the sword falls, signaling the attack, all hell breaks loose.

###

**Song: One More Day – Lonestar  
****Scene: Aveline misses Wesley. **(335 words)

_"One more day, one more time, one more sunset maybe I'd be satisfied. But then again, I know what it would do, leave me wishing still one more day with you."_

She stands at the open window of her office, breathing in the salty air blowing up from the near ocean. _Her _office. Sometimes, that still sounds hard to believe. Captain of the Guard. A proud smile slowly spreads across her features.

It is a good feeling. It means she has done something right. It means it had been no mistake to come here after all. She had had doubts for a long time, so many doubts. If she had chosen another way in the past, things would have turned out very differently. If she had chosen not to accompany the Hawke family, Wesley would still be alive.

Wesley.

She still misses him every day. If only he could see what she has achieved. He would be so proud of his wife. He would tell her that there has never been the slightest doubt in his heart that she would make it.

Oh how she wishes he was here now, if only for a few precious hours. The things she could tell him, the things they could do…

But he is not here and she knows that this is just the way how it should be. If he was here she would not be guard-captain. If he was here there would be nothing for him to be proud of. She would be a different person with different experiences and a different life.

She misses him but she is not bitter about it anymore. Life is good and she knows he would not want her to waste any moment of it to linger in a past she cannot change. It does not mean she will forget him, no, never, but that she is finally able to admit this means that she's ready to move on.

She looks up at the clear blue sky and sends a prayer to the Maker, telling him to say goodbye to Wesley for her and when she closes the window and goes back to work she is happy. Yes, life is good.

###

**Song: Mage Pride – Olivia Orr  
****Scene: Fenris and Hawke at the Gallows. **(213 words)

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

She looks at him Inquisitively, giving him a chance to go back on his word. He hates the mages. He hates them almost as much as he's hated Denerius, yet he is willing to fight on their side. For her; and only for her. She feels guilty about that. She does not want to feel as if she forced him to do something he is not ready to do. None of them knows what will happen. None of them knows if they will survive and even if they do, it will only be the start of a long hard war; a war they will lead as outlaws, rebels, haunted. He needs to know these things. He still has a choice.

But when she starts to explain all the hardships that will stand in their way, he puts his hand to her lips and silences her.

"Don't," he calmly demands of her. "I know. All of it. I will not let you go again. I've made that mistake once and I will not repeat it."

She kisses the tips of his gauntleted fingers and despite it all she smiles. He will fight on the mages' side. For her; and only for and it makes her proud.

###

**Song: Does He Love You – Reba McEntire  
****Scene: Anora is confronted with Cailan's lover at a reception. **(422 words)

_"Does he love you like he loves me, does he think of you when he's holding me and does he whisper all his fantasies, does he love you like he's been loving me."_

She's beautiful. Creamy skin, long red curls, a body like an Antivan belly-dancer. And she has wit. She hoped that she would be nothing but a mindless doll, a pretty head on a nice body. She could have lived with that somehow. It would mean that Cailan was just having sex with her. Looking for some fun apart the matrimonial bed-room is common practice among nobility. Given some time she would have learned to ignore it.

Instead, when she talked to her during dinner, she learned that this red-haired vixen does not only have a pretty head, she also knows how to use what's inside of it and it makes her wonder if there is something more to this affair.

Does her husband actually love that woman? Are all his vows of love just empty words to ensure she does not get suspicious of his true feelings?

She tears her eyes away from the red-head and looks at Cailan. He's engaged in deep conversation with Bann Ingram but when he feels her gaze on him he turns his head her way and a smile curves his lips. Not the polite, meaningless smile he saves for events just as this but a genuine smile that makes his eyes sparkle. His hand under the table reaches for hers and squeezes it gently. You can't fake something like that, can you? She knows Cailan is a good actor. As the king he has to be but this smile looks so real. It makes her want to return it, yet she doesn't.

He leans closer, suddenly worried.

"What's wrong, love," he whispers so that only she can hear. She shakes her head. Nothing, love. Nothing's wrong. But she can't help her eyes wandering back to the beautiful woman on the other side of the table. Her husband's gaze follows suit and she bites her lips, angry about her slip. It is not like her to lose control over her feelings but this time her nagging doubts got the better of her.

Cailan's grasp around her hand tightens and when he turns back to her, his other hand comes up and cups her neck, pulling her close. When he kisses her he does it in a way that almost offends protocol. It is a show of affection for all to see and when they break apart, she returns the smile.

Maybe it is just sex after all and she is the one his heart belongs to. As long as she knows that she can deal with it.

###

**Song: Magic Race – G.T.O. (Instrumental)  
****Scene: Anders and the warden commander are fighting darkspawn together. **(266 words)

They are standing back to back like always, her blades a flurry of light and sound around him as she fights off the darkspawn that come too close so that he can cast his spells undisturbed. Their every move looks like choreographed, fluent and graceful. Like they are dancing in sync to a melody only they can hear. He knows at all times where she is, what she's doing and so does she. Her blades only barely miss him sometimes just as his spells fly past her so close that she can feel their energy but they are never really in danger of hurting each other. They are trusting each other completely, without words, without doubt.

The darkspawn around them fall in rapid succession, one by one. They are heavily outnumbered but they have mastered worse situations. He sends a rejuvenation spell her way and she rewards him with a quick glance and a grin. He grins back and shoots a lightning spell at an archer aiming for her at the same time as she is decapitating a genlock that tries to attack his right side.

When the last darkspawn lies to their feet and there is silence in the cave again she turns to him with a smug smile.

"Now that was invigorating," she purrs and places a quick kiss on his lips. "We should do that more often."

He wraps an arm around her waist, not caring for her bloodied armor and draws her in for a deeper, more thorough kiss.

"Yeah," he agrees with a suggestive grin. "Best foreplay we have ever had."


End file.
